Robb's POV
Plan's had changed since he had had to leave King's Landing earlier than he had originally thought, instead of the long trek up the Kingsroad to Moat Catlin to meet Howland Reed. He and his company had taken a ship to White Harbour and from there they had taken a river galley up the White Knife, unlike last time where they had rode. They had been planning to do that again but the news he had received when he arrived at White Harbour, made him decide to risk taking a boat up the icy river, for all they knew some of it could be frozen over or impassable, as winter was coming. At Winterfell is where Howland Reed would be waiting for him hopefully.
He now sat in his small cabin looking over maps and letters trying to work out what to do. News from White Harbour was grave; Wildlings were being spotted as far as Hornwood now, small parties. Not raiding though they all said they were running. Running from what though? Rumors of Others and White Walkers had started cropping up all over the North not just in children's stories made to frighten them.
He thought back to the warnings in his father's letter: guard the North, Be vigilant and stong and trust in others.
While he was in White Harbour he had sent Ravens to Bear Island and Deepwood Motte, ordering them to use their new ships to patrol the sea by the wall as Wildings were frequently getting through there and also to patrol the Stoney Shore as the villages there were far away from any major settlement or Holdfast, maybe it was time to relook at building a holdfast and turning it into a town. That was one reason why wilding parties were being discovered so far south because the Gift and the New Gift were rather uninhabited so were easy to pass through unencumbered, maybe it was time to rethink his father's plan about waiting till summer to resettle the New Gift but right now there were more important thing to worry about. Deepwood Motte and Karhold and the Last Hearth would also send out more frequent patrols around their land.
He knew the last Hearth, Karhold and Winterfell had already mustered troops to support the wall by now the Last hearth should have arrived so he was expecting raven's in Winterfell when he arrived there, he was praying Jon was okay.
It had now been just over a week since he had left King's Landing, the wedding would be happening in a matter of days, he should hopefully be at Castle Black by that time. Now at Winterfell he had received even more news! The Umbers had arrived at Castle Black just time to stop the attack from the south wiping out the garrison at Castle Black. They were now busy shoring up their defenses. The soldiers from Karhold, Winterfell, Cerwyn and Deepwood Motte had also arrived at Castle Black, around 9000 men were there, more would be arriving from them and, Old Castle, Dreadfort, Widow's Watch and Torrhen's Squares. Bear Island was too busy with Wilding at Shadow Tower and Flint's fingers were too far away.
News from his brother was that Mance Rayder had united an army of 100,000 wildlings, giants and mammoth, if they got beyond the wall, god help us, he though, they were going to need all the Northern Army just to slow them down. There was one resource he hadn't used yet and was debating whether to go there, The North moutnaisn clans had not sent many warriors to fight in the last 2 wars but if he went there personally requesting their help he might win them over. They had issues with wildlings in their lands, but enough of that for now. Howland Reed should be arriving tomorrow then he would off to Castle Black, as news had come in that Jon had been thrown in Ice cells by Ser Alliser Thorne for being a traitor to the Night's Watch. Greatjon had tried to intervene but he couldn't do much not with the Night Watch's neutrality, but enough of that for now. He wanted to go lay with his wife, hold her and talk to his unborn child.
"I've missed this," he whispered in her ear as they lay together under a fur blanket, his arms wrapped around her pregnant belly.
"I've missed you, I was worried sick after hearing about your father, do you have to leave so soon?" Roslin asked kissing him on his cheek, "Can't you stay a week.?" Or even just another night!"
"I need to leave, the North is in danger, one of my brothers is missing and my other brother is in prison. I would love nothing more than to stay here, take care of Winterfell and keep you safe and be here when our child is born, but my father taught me to do my duty and I must protect the North which in turn protects you," he explained gently, hating himself for having to keep leaving her. He tenderly lifted her left arm up which was draped over his body, so he could slide out from underneath her and pour himself a goblet of wine.
"Not just one child!" she pouted smiling.
At that he turned around grinning to look at her, "Twins?"
"Yes Maester Luwin believes I have twins, so now we have 2 names to choose. You can have a little Eddard and a little Catelyn," she smirked flirtingly.
He walked back to the bed, taking her hand and laying down with her, "I would love nothing more than to name them that, and if 2 boys can we name the other Theon or 2 girls the other Lyanna, unless you have a name you want of course," he added quickly not wanting to upset her.
"I love all those names, because they are personal to you which mean they are personal to me."
The next morning he awoke with a start as Maester Luwin knocked on the door alerting him that Lord Howland Reed and his escorts had just arrived. He hurriedly got dressed to go meet his father's oldest friend.
"Ah, Lord Reed, it is good to finally meet you, my father always spoke very highly of you," he welcomed, taking Howland's small hand and shaking it. It felt strange to dwarf someone who was so much older then he but the Crannogmen of the Neck made up for their small stature with their ferocity and cunning.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, I still grieve for your father, he was a great man."
"Aye, he was, I am sorry I pulled you so far away from your home but I have urgent business to discuss, first of all, I am sorry we still have not found your children nor my brother Bran."
At that Howland laughed, "You won't find them, not unless they want to be found, Jojen insisted on him and his sister coming personally to speak to Bran Stark, the strange thing was I had never mentioned Bran to them, but Jojen said he had dreamed it and they must go far North so Bran may fly and that we may all live, They snuck off in the middle of the night before I could stop them. They will look after Bran do not fear but fear for what they have gone to stop."
When he heard this he grew, angry but it subsided, Howland was a lord of more experience then him, he knew his children well, and he just hoped they kept Bran safe.
"I would have liked to know this sooner. If they are already beyond the wall, I fear there is nothing I can do, but this is not the main reason I have brought you here." At that he noticed Howland Reed look up at him finally realising something. "This is!" he told him firmly thrusting his father's letter into Howland's hand and letting him read it.
"I knew this time would come," Howland said softly, a few tears now forming in his eyes, "I trust your father wrote a letter for Jon but he has not yet received it." He nodded and let him continue. "Then what I am about to tell you, Jon will read in Lord Stark's hand. You must promise me thought to speak of this to know one until Jon hears it, then it will be up to him, as this news could change the political balance in the seven Kingdoms. Jon Snow is not your brother but your cousin by Lyanna Stark."
At that thoughts started racing through his mind, what, how, when, that must mean, No it can't be. CAN IT BE?
"By the expression on your face, you may have already worked out who the father is, but you need to know the true story of the Rebellion. Myself and Ned only discovered it when we found Lyanna in the Tower of Joy surrounded by 3 kingsguard. Why were there 3 Kingsguard there when there was no royalty there, you may wonder. It is because Lyanna carried the true born son of Rheagar. Lyanna wasn't kidnapped, she ran off with the prince because she was in love, and apparently so was he. They married in secret, Targeryeans believed in more than one wife so for all intents and purposes he is Jon Targeryean, rightful heir of the 7 kingdoms."
He couldn't speak, his brother was not his brother but his cousin and he was prince or should be kign by all laws but he could be in grave danger if Renly or anyone found out.
2 days later after stomaching the news and asking more questions from Howland Reed, he could now see Castle Black, a dark spot in otherwise white background. Howland Reed had left the same day as he had after Robb had named him Warden of the Neck and Protector of Moat Catlin, tasking him to rebuild and strengthen the ancient Moat Catlin fortress as Winter was coming. Riding into Castle Black, alongside Harrion Karstark and Jamie Lannister he saw Lord Umber waiting to greet him along with Ser Kevan Lannsiter and another person he did not recognise.
"Lord Stark, may I present to you the current de facto commander of the Night's Watch Ser Alliser form, and the new Master at Arms, Ser Kevan Lannister."
"Ser Alliser, I wish to see my brother," he announced nearly slipping up and revealing something important.
"Your brother is a traitor and will be executed shortly."
At that he got off his horse and strolled straight up to Ser Alliser's face bearly a centimetre from him, "My brother is no more a traitor than you are a true knight, from what I hear he saved Castle Black with his leadership and skill, while you cowardly waited in Eastwatch-by-the-Sea until the coast was clear. If you call him a traitor one more time in my midst, I will take my bannermen and return to our castles to prepare for a coming winter."
"You wouldn't dare, The king will hear of this, abandoning your duty as Warden of the North" sneered Ser Allister.
"Go ahead write to him, who will he support more, the son of his old hand who is one of his most loyal supporters or a lowly knight who fought on the losing side in Robert's Rebellion. The Night's watch may be neutral, and I have no say here, but I have say over my men, so remember that Ser Alliser."
"Now take me to my brother but first where are my men being housed and what is the situation."
The wildling army was camped in the forest since the first attacks where the blacksmith Donal Noye had been killed defending the gate. No more attacks had even reached the gate thanks to Lord Umber arriving with extra men and archers. Apparently they had tried to talk but Ser Alliser was hearing none of it, that was one of the reasons he wished to hear from his blood.
His men were being housed in Castle black and they had also reopened Oakenshield and Queensgate and were planning to open more if they were fit for habitation.
He opened the door to the cell Jon was in,
"Greetings Jon, it's been a while. I'll get you out of here don't worry but first we must talk. I have heard Ser Alliser's report of the wilding army but no mention of others or Wright like I have heard from yours and Maester Aemon's letters."
He watched Jon get up from the floor and hug him, "It's been too long brother, I am glad you are hear, I have much to tell you."
Jon told him everything from the wights attacking Jeor Mormont, to the great ranging to Qhuorin halfhand's orders and his death, to laying with Ygritte in the cave, to sam's story of the mutiny at Crasters keep and killing the other with dragonglass dagger they had found. To Sam finding documents saying that it was the only thing that could kill an other. And lastly about the reason the wildling army was moving south, not to attack but to escape.
After all that he knew it was time to give Jon the letter, "Jon here is a letter from Father, we will talk about it once you have read, he wrote it before he died for me to give to you, I believe I know what is in it and as there was something similar in my letter. I will be back later to discuss it."
As he turned to leave, Jon stopped him, "Robb, I have to ask you a favor, Ygritte is in the cell next to mine, do what you can to free her, and take her back to Winterfell along with Sam's fiend gilly and her child," Jon pleaded
"I will do my best, you love Ygritte don't you," he asked
"Yes I do, and she carrying my child."
Before he could reply to that a knock at the door came, It was Jamie Lannister,
"Lord Stark, a letter from King's Landing it is addressed to you, urgent news it says!"
Author's Note
One more chapter to go, hope you liked the twists and reveals in this chapter, please read and review